'I did not know I was expecting twins'

Dubai: Naseem Bibi, the woman who gave birth to a baby girl onboard an aircraft and another girl later in a hospital Tuesday, did not know she was carrying twins when she boarded her flight.

Gulf News reported the birth of the twins on Wednesday. Their birth is the first in 20 years of the airport's history and the first-ever twin birth.

Labour pains

The 22-year-old from Multan, Pakistan, told Gulf News she was on-board an Emirates flight from Jeddah when she started having labour pains.

"Suddenly I was in pain. I didn't know it was labour pain. And then my waters broke," she said in Urdu.

The flight landed in Dubai, and the medical team from Dubai Airport Medical Centre and paramedics helped deliver her first baby, named Humeira.

Naseem said she was happy that Humeira had been born, but did not understand why she was still in pain. She was then transferred to Al Wasl Hospital, where doctors told her that she was having another baby.

"I had the shock of my life. I thought, Oh God, how many children do I have in my stomach?" she said.

The second girl, named Sumeira, was born via Caesarean section. With the twins, she now has three children, including a four-year old boy.

Naseem said she did not know her pregnancy was full-term when she boarded her flight. Coming from a rural village, she had not undergone any medical check-ups.

"And my stomach was not that big so how would I know I had two babies inside?" she added.

Mohammad Kashmi, a friend of Naseem's husband, told Gulf News that Naseem's mother entrusted Naseem in his care while she was in Dubai

"I told her mother and sister to go back to Pakistan, because it is expensive [to stay here] and I had no place to offer them. I told them not to worry about Naseem, that I would send her back," he said.

He added that he has been keeping her husband, Mohammad Jiwad, updated with news of his wife and children.

The husband named the babies yesterday afternoon.

"Her husband and family are overjoyed and thrilled about the babies, but of course they were worried at first if they were OK," he said.

Naseem is not short of people helping her. Other than Mohammad Kashmi, Emirates has appointed a special assistance team member to follow her case closely.

Despite that the 22-year-old longs to go home.

"I want to go home and show my family my babies.

"They are beautiful girls," she said, beaming.

"I had the shock of my life. I thought, Oh God, how many children do I have in my stomach?"